Elizabeth Hall to son, Walter Scott Kidd

Worcester, MA 15 May 1882

My dear Walter,

    You have been expecting a letter from me a long time.  I was glad when your letter came.  You have got mudle with me and Augusta.  My birthday is on the 10th day of March and Augusta on the 11th day.  I am sorry to tell you that your sister Sarah is dead.  On the 3rd of April, from the bleeding of lungs.  The first time it was in November and she could not do any hard work after.   She sent me, the least thing brought the pain on.  She was in her usual health that day.  She went to bed at half past ten.  When she had been in bed a while she said the bleeding had begun again.   They went for a doctor but  she gradually sunk.  We have had one letter from George and Lizzie they say that she was ready when the summons came.  She has lead a God fearing life.  She was a Christian.  They had Mr. Schofield Particular Baptist minister Trowbridge.  She had received great benefit from him.  Grief and poor living had brought it on.  You see, just when the Lord was shining on them he took her away.  Ah, Walter, she had always some good sense.  There was not much difference in your fathers age and hers; both in their forty ninth year.  Lizzie says she tries to make them as much like her Mother as she can.  She had the most sense of all of your sisters.  They had only moved five weeks before. Walter, it is twenty four years since your poor Father died this day.  I hope I shall not be so long before I meet him, and I hope the Lord will save me to meet him.  Lizzie says she can cook and she has made the children some black.  She says her mother taught her to do all in a house.  She has written me a very nice letter for a young woman.  You know, Sarah had some sense.  You write them.  They will be glad of a letter from you.  The last letter that I had from her was on the 17th of January. She said that it would be Harry's birthday tomorrow, I wish God's richest blessing, and hope he may be a partaker of his grace.  She said she had often begged of the Lord to place them in the best place for his glory and our good and let her know no will but his.  Harry had a letter from her just before they left Sheffield.  She said that my birthday would be soon when I should have reached three score and ten.  She did not forget and the Lord would bestow his blessings on me.  She knew all your birthdays.  She sent me word that she did.  I never sent her word about Harry.   She had great confidence in him.  I had it impressed on my mind that she was sick to death.  I hope that Vina and the children are well and yourself and give me love to them.  Do not be long before you write.
     From your affectionate mother - Elizabeth Kidd, 4 Duke Street, Rusholme, Manchester
     I should like to have seen her in the flesh.

(The following written to Loogootee, Ind.)

Worcester, MA 27 Oct 1882

My dear Walter,
      I receive your letter and was glad to hear from you.  How is it that you do not write to Harry.  We are afraid that you are sick.  He has been looking for one for two weeks.  Augusta is going to come home tomorrow.  She will have been gone a month.  I do not know how long she will stay.  I am glad to hear that you have been able to put up so much fruit.  It will be very useful in winter and your chickens there are very nice.  I know what they are.  It is a long while, I cannot tell when I have had any, but I know that we used to have.  Flour, cheap it is, nine dollars fifty cents here.  You see there is a great difference in price.  Now, Walter, I do think that I shall end my days in England.  I should like to be by your Father.  Twenty three years since Elizabeth died.  She was very thoughtful of you.  Know, she died the last of the month.  For what I have given, I shall make it do for I shall live one day as I can the next.  I shall go to see Clayton.  (She means the town of Clayton, Yorkshire, England.)  If the Lord spares me to live, I shall live with Sarah.  I think if I get as I cannot wait on myself, she would.  Martha Moody and her family lives in the fear of God.  Her boys and girls there are very comfortable.  Robert is dead four or five years since.  They sent for me to live with them.  I do not think of that.  Harry is better than he was.  I hope he will be better still.  He has been in the house all night and when he came at noon anyone could see that he had not been sober.  He seems very sorry for it.  Do not say one word of it.  He would not like me to tell you.  Give my love to Vina.  I am sending her a few meals.  I hope she is well and the children and accept the same yourself.  From your affectionate mother- Elizabeth Kidd
       Write to Harry as soon as you can.

(The following written to Richland Centre, Wisc.)

Worcester, MA 15 May 1884

My dear Walter,

     I received your welcome letter all safe and was glad to have it with your children's photo in and I hope Vina and the young one is doing well.  Walter, you remember twenty five years since today.  I know you have not forgot.  I hope the Lord will make me ready to meet him.  I cannot go to England as soon as I thought of for Harry is not well.  He will not like me to go while he is so unwell.  I do believe it is indigestion and I am sure it is.  He is very thin.   He has not smoked for a little while.  I hope he will not smoke, it makes him worse.  I am sorry that I cannot go.  I hope I shall go in the fall.  If I was to give way to him he would think he was in consumption.  He is so nervous.  He has not taken care of himself.  I have wondered that it did not make him sick before.  I am sending you a letter Lizzie Moxon sent me.  You must read it and send it back.  Harry would not read it.   I think it is worth reading and I am sure it is.  I shall be glad if you can send me your photo and Vina and write as soon as you can.  I hope the Lord will bless you and be with you.  I am going to write to England.  If I hear anything from Ann I shall send you word.  Hoping you and Vina and the children are well adn give my love to all. 
     From your affectionate mother - Elizabeth Kidd
      Write soon.

(The following written to Viroqua, Wisc.)

Worcester, MA 12 May 1886

My dear Walter,

      No doubt you have been expecting a letter from me a long time.  I have been very sick for a good while.  I am takin sickness and pain in my stomach and bowels with vomiting.  I have had those spells very often the last month.  I have never been well since Harry was sick.  I was so worked that I have never been well.  He used to tell me that a girl of fifteen could do all that I had to do.  All winter we have had two fires.  I have had all the coal to carry out of the cellar and to look after.  He has never known when he was wonted on enough.  I was sick last summer. I went to Dr. Wood and he told me I was not to work hard for I could not.  The work has felt harder this winter than it has ever done before.  Got so run down.  He sees that I cannot do much now.  One of the Barbers was here thirteen weeks, I told him that if she did not go home I would send for Edwin to come.  The other, the most of it, hear, he was mad.  If I said anything, he said last week, that I was going to be laid on his hands.  I said, I hope not, for if I was taken that I should not get better I would send Edwin to come at once, for I would go with him.  For I will never lay on Harry's hands.  He has gone to Coldbrook.  He went on the fifth of June or he will lose his place.  So I will stay a few weeks to see how he stands it.  If he cannot stand the bank he will have to work out of doors.  I hope he will be able to stand it.  He has been eight months out.  Mrs. Mellor dropped down dead on the twenty fifth of March.  She had been on the street in the morning and got her dinner.   Went to wash the stairs down, fell down and was dead.  I went to the funeral.  The Church of Christ preaches in the Central Church now.  They sold their old one to the Sweeds.  Walter your fathers glad seven and twenty years since was nearly run out.  I feel glad that I am getting so fair in the evening.  To think that I have so many years longer than he.  I hope the Lord will prepare me to meet him for my time can not be long here.  I have had a rough time since he died.  The last eight years have been the roughest I have not heard from England since I wrote before.  They are expecting me to be going every week.  Do you ever hear from Wintergill Wood.  He has failed long since.  My word, Wintergill looks told down.  Booth has been the head boss at Quinsig Mill for twelve months.  I shall be glad to hear from you as soon as you can and tell how you like the place.  You did not say much about the butter for it has been good.  Give my love to Vina and the children.  I hope Harold likes his book.   I hope the Lord will bless you and your family. That